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Report: Maserati-Based Alfa Romeo 6C to Target Jaguar F-Type

A new Alfa Romeo 6C sports car is reportedly set to debut in 2017, corresponding with the company’s five-year plan that includes a second sports car model to join the existing Alfa Romeo 4C (pictured below) and 4C Spider. According to a report from Auto Express, this new Alfa will be based on the same chassis as the upcoming Maserati Alfieri (pictured above) and sets its sights on the Jaguar F-Type with its front-engine, rear-wheel-drive construction and standout styling.

The 6C name designates a six-cylinder engine, and this new Alfa Romeo will apparently use a version of the same 3.0-liter turbocharged V-6 used in the existing Maserati Ghibli. Auto Express says we can expect this engine to make between 410 and 520 hp for different versions of the car, with lower-powered versions competing with the Jaguar F-Type V6 S and higher-output performance variants targeting the supercharged Jaguar F-Type V8 R.

The Alfa Romeo 6C’s styling will have to set the bar high to get on the same level as the gorgeous Jaguar, and this new sports car’s look will reportedly share certain elements with the related Maserati Alfieri. The Alfa Romeo version is said to sport a more aggressive front end, although the greenhouse and rear ends of the two cars could look similar. That’s no bad thing, as the Maserati Alfieri concept from earlier this year drew praise from our design editor Robert Cumberford, who called it “a dramatic and beautiful contemporary GT.”

We’re wondering how the Alfa Romeo 6C and Maserati Alfieri will avoid stepping on each other’s toes given the similarities in styling and powertrain, but it seems like the Alfieri will go for broader appeal with its optional all-wheel drive; the Alfa Romeo 6C will be a more exclusive model with a limited production run capped at a few thousand units. Earlier this year, when Fiat Chrysler Automobiles revealed its five-year product plan, a new “specialty” vehicle was listed for Alfa Romeo in the 2016-2018 timeframe, which almost certainly corresponds to this model.

Stay tuned to hear more about this upcoming Alfa Romeo sports car that should offer style and performance to spare.

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